Electrode housings



Aug. 16,1932.

W. S. HOUGH ELECTRODE nousnfes Filed March 18, 1930 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 1 6, 1 932 minus. notion, or KoKoMo, INDIANA ELECTRODE Housmes j Application filed March 18,1930. Serial m. 436,793.

This invention relates to insulating housings for electric signs such as those utilizing neon tubes which are usually bent at their electrode ends and, among other objects, aims 5 to provide improved sockets or housings -adapted to be removably secured. in a sign I face and having provision to vary the distance between the centers of the electrode openings so as to compensate for inaccuracies that occur inmaking the tubes of the proper lengths.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the specifications when considered in connection with the illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partly in section,

showing the housings installedin a sign; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line in 1. D

Heretofore, .the' sockets or housings for neon signs have generally been rigidly secured in the spaced openings of a sign face or plate before the tube was made or ordered;

hence, only a small tolerance in the lengths of the tubes'or center to center distances between their electrodes was permissible. This has resulted in a great many misfits and delays in completing thesigns. Moreover, attempts to insertthe electrodes of neon tubes when they are not of the proper length have often resulted in breaking the tubes, necessitating an order for new tubes of the proper length and thereby increasing the expense of the sign installations. This invention aims to obviate the foregoing diflicultiesby the provision of improved sockets or housings for the electrodes which can easily and quickly be adjusted to vary the distances between the centers of the socket openings.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the improved housings are there shown as being mounted in an' ordinary metal sign face 10 having spaced circular openings through which the sockets are adapted to be inserted from the outside. The space between the openings is such as to accommodate the tube to be used. I

While one adjustable housing may be used, there are shown two similar housings 11 in order to provide for a maximum adjustment. Each of the housingsv is preferably made of porcelain or some other suitable insulating 'material and is shown as having a cylindrical opening 12 to accommodate one of the elec-. trodes 13 of an ordinary neon tube. In the example, the electrode ends happen to be bent at right angles to the sign portion of the tube. The outer ends or mouths of the sockets are flared outwardly to facilitate 60 easy insertion of the electrodes in the openings while the inner ends of the housingsare preferably closed and present a'series of perforations or drain openings 14 so that rain water will drain out of the sockets.

The outer wall of each housing which projects through the opening in the sign face or plate 10 is eccentric with respect to the socket opening 12 so that the housing may be turned in its opening to vary the distance between the axes or centers of the two sockets. In this example, only a short portion of each housing presents an eccentric wall and the remainder of the housing is or may be concentric with the socket as shown in Fig. 1;

Near the outer end of each housing, there is shown an eccentric annular shoulder or flange portion 15 contacting with the outer surface of the sign plate 10. The eccentric portion of the housing insertedthrough the opening'is here provided with a spiral groove or threads 16 on which a spring wire coil 17 is adapted to be screwed to contact with the inner face of the sign wall'lO and hold the housing in its adjusted position. Herein, the

wirecoil which serves the'same purpose as a clamping nut presents outwardly bent terminals l8 and 19 at its ends to begrasped by the fingers so as to screw the coil against the plate or unscrew it to release the housing. YVhen the projection 19 is grasped and pulled outwardly or sprung out of the spiral groove at the inner end portion of the coil, it may be unscrewed very readily. N ormally, all of the convolutions of the coil grip tightly in v the threads. lVhen the coilis to be tightened against the plate so as to exert spring gripping pressure on it, the outer projection 18 is also pulled outwardly and turned to the right partially releasing the grip of the first convolution in the threads, thus enabling the coil to be turned and screwed home very easily without a great deal of frictional resistance.

The ends of the tube electrodes have wire terminals 20 fused in the glass whereby any ordinary electric wires or conductors may be connected to them. In this instance, each of the housings at its inner end has a connecting screw 21 loosely mounted in an opening at the axis of the housing and constituting a binding post for a lead wire 22. Within the housing is a flexible conductor 23 carrying a small terminal clip 2a which is adapted to be pulled out of the socket and connected to the wire terminal 20 of the electrode before it is inserted in the socket. The idea of loose- 1y mounting the binding post or screw 21 at the inner end of the housing is to permit the housing to be turned without twisting the conductor 23 after it is connected. This enables the adjustments to be made after the wiring connections are completed or even after the electrodes have been inserted so as to make them concentric with the electrode openings.

To permit expansion and contraction of the tube and to provide yielding supports therefor, thin rubber washers or gaskets 25 are slipped on the electrodes before they are inserted in the housings and these washers are flexed upon being inserted so as to contact with the inner walls of the housings, it being observed that their inner width is greater than the width of the annular space between the electrode and the housing as shown in section in Fig. 1. These washers or gaskets are of sufficient thickness to support the weight of the tube or the electrode ends and provide yielding cushions which also prevent the tube from being broken due to ordinary wind pressures.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the sockets or housings can be manufactured very cheaply of any suitable nonconducting material such as porcelain, bakelite and the like. Furthermore, they can be installed in a sign face by an ordinary electrician and can be very easily and quickly adjusted to accommodate neon tubes which have not been made of exactly the proper length as is usually required. Moreover, they can be used interchangeably in diflferent'signs.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

What is claimed is:

1. In a neon tube electric sign of the character; described, a pair of housings of insu- {lating material mounted in openings in the sign face, each having an electrode socket;

ings in the sign face and having substantially cylindrical sockets to receive the tube electrodes; said sockets being eccentric with respect to the axes of rotation of the housings whereby the distance between the sockets may be varied to compensate for errors in the length of the tube.

3. In a neon tube electric sign of the class described, a face plate having a pair of circular openings; electrode housings inserted in the openings and rotatable therein; said housings each having an eccentric socket to receive the tube electrodes; and means to clamp the housings in adjusted positions to the face plate.

4:. In a neon tube electric sign of the character described, a face plate having a pair of circular openings therein; housings of insulating material rotatably mounted in said openings and each presenting an eccentric electrode socket; a flexible conductor extending through the rear end of each housing having means adapted to be connected to the terminal of a tube electrode; and means associated with one of the housings adapted to clamp it in adjusted positions in the face plate whereby the distance between centers of the sockets may be varied to compensate for inaccuracies in the length of a tube.

5. In a neon tube electric sign of the character described, a face plate having a pair of substantially circular housings of insulating material having substantially cylindrical sockets to receive tube electrodes; an eccentric portion on each housing rotatably mounted in the openings in the face plate; a flange. adjacent to the outer end of each housing engaging the outer wall of the face plate; a spiral groove formed in each wall of the housing about the eccentric portion; coil springs co-operating with said spiral grooves to clamp the housings in the face plate; flexible conductors within the housings having means connected to the terminals of tube electrodes, a screw connection loosely and rotatably mounted in the inner end of said housings each adapted to be connected to an electric conductor; and flexible gaskets or washers within the housings closing the space between the tube electrodes and the sockets whereby to provide a yieldable watertight support for the electrode. V

6. As an article of manufacture, an electrode housing lor neon tube signs having a substantially cylindrical outer wall adapted to be inserted in a circular opening and an eccentric cylindrical socket whereby the housnavaua isrgkmtay be turned to vary the position of said 7. As an article of manufacture, an electrode housing fof neon tube electric signs having a substantially cylindrical socket and an eccentric outer wall adapted to be rotatably mounted in a circular opening so as ,to adjust the osition of said socket; means to clamp the ousing in adjusted positions in a sign plate; and a flexible conductor within the housing having provision tobe connected to an electrode terminal.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

W. S. HOUGH. 

